My Disneyland dining reviews, with pictures

[xApril]

I also had the taco salad from Pym’s. Was super excited to try it since everyone raved about it. The chicken to me tasted like precooked chicken from Walmart. It just didn’t have the fresh quality I came to expect from some of the foods I’ve had at Disneyland. There were also some hints of spice in the overall dish that didn’t make me a huge fan.

Similarly, we dined at Lamplight again this trip and the Lobster Nachos had gotten a bad rap before we got there. Sure enough, not good. Different flavor and the lobster looks different too. Some related it to cat food and that’s really what it was like. If we go back, it’ll be for something else or we will just do Boardwalk Dining and scout out someone else’s nachos before we bother getting them again. Pretty sad about it though.

The smores donuts were good though! The donuts usually don’t miss though.

I tried the pineapple coconut churro from Willie’s which is very heavy on coconut but it was good! Not my favorite but it was nice enough. I meant to try another churro but the days went by too quick.

 

[LKing]

Had dinner at Tiana's Palace last night.

Seven Greens Gumbo with Chicken & Sausage - Braised Chicken, Andouille Sausage, White Beans, Okra, Yams, Sweet Potatoes and Heirloom Rice

Everyone in our party likes this gumbo. It is quite satisfying and, unless we are really hungry, we usually split it amongst a couple of people.



Muffeletta Sandwich - Mortadella, Salami, Rosemary Ham, Cheddar, Provolone and House-made Olive Relish on Toasted New Orleans Sesame Seed Bread, served with Red Beans & Rice and House-made Pickles

I'm not much of a cold cut person. I liked the olive relish and thought that it added a lot to the sandwich. This was satisfying (especially since it came with rice & beans) but isn't as filling as some of the other meals at Tiana's.



Cajun Spiced Half Chicken - brushed with BBQ Sauce served with Baked Macaroni and Cheese & Coleslaw

This was a very large serving of both the chicken as well as the sides - definitely sharable. I didn't think it was Cajun or spicy at all.

 

[LKing]

My spouse has been wanting to try the new lunch at Carthay Circle Restaurant. We had some friends in town so decided to give it a try today.

The lunch is $59 prix fixe (or pre-fixe as the typo on the menu states). It includes an appetizer and an entree. Drinks are extra. Bread is extra. We were not offered dessert, so I'm not sure if they have it for lunch.

I had a difficult time finding reviews or photos online so I took a lot of pictures. Hope it helps. Note: Dim lighting and lots of shadows make it really difficult to take photos of food in Carthay Circle.





Green Garbanzo Bean Fritters - Spicey Roasted Pepper-Lemon Yogurt, Sesame, Pomegranates

Four per plate. These were really good. They were warm and crispy on the outside, moist in the middle. The yogurt sauce was tasty as well.



Carthay Greek Style Salad - Garbanzo-Feta Hummus, Heirloom Tomatoes, Aged Sherry Vinegar

This surprised us because the menu didn't really describe it. The hummus was on the bottom. The salad was heirloom tomatoes with Greek olives and cucumber. It was topped with feta. Very fresh. Very good tasting.





Soy and Ginger Glazed Tri Tip - Spicy Soba Noodles, Mint, Macadamia Nut Furikake

I'm not sure who is in charge of menus for this restaurant. Typo at the top and the descriptions aren't well written. For this dish, there was a sweet & spicy sauce on the plate. The noodles were rather bland. They had some mint, but also had citrus and lots of mushrooms (which were not listed on the menu).




The beef was very good, but not as good as the steak they serve at dinner. They didn't ask how we wanted it prepared and it was a little rare for my taste.

The cold noodles didn't complement the warm beef by temperature, texture or taste.



Rigatoni Pasta Carbonara - Prosciutto, Corn, English Peas, Wild Mushrooms, Grana Padano

All of us enjoyed this dish. The pasta was well prepared. The peas, corn and mushrooms complemented the sauce well.

 

[LKing]

Carthay Circle Prix Fixe Lunch (continued)

Grilled Chicken Meatloaf - Yukon Gold Mash Potato, Stone Fruit Marmalade, Natural Jus

Notice "Mash Potato" not mashed potatoes. We were glad we didn't order the stone fruit salad when we saw that this came with a side of stone fruit. We assumed marmalade was something that had the texture of jam, not actual chunks of nectarines. The natural jus was poured on top at the table by the waiter.

I am not a mashed potato person, but I thought these were very good. The fruit was good as well. The meatloaf had the texture of processed meat and didn't have much flavor. While I might have enjoyed it at another (cheaper) restaurant in the park, it was not the caliber that I expect of Carthay Circle.





I didn't think the lunch was worth $59. If they included a beverage (which costs them next to nothing) or a token dessert, it might be different, but $59 for an appetizer and entree is a lot. My spouse, on the other hand, thought it was well worth it. They brought up the fact that we spent $55 on the River Belle Terrace Fantasmic meal and that was nothing close to the quality of food, ambiance, or service that we received at Carthay Circle. Point taken. But the RBT meal included a beverage, dessert and reserved seats for a show.

 

[Pluto468]

My spouse has been wanting to try the new lunch at Carthay Circle Restaurant. We had some friends in town so decided to give it a try today.

The lunch is $59 prix fixe (or pre-fixe as the typo on the menu states). It includes an appetizer and an entree. Drinks are extra. Bread is extra. We were not offered dessert, so I'm not sure if they have it for lunch.

I had a difficult time finding reviews or photos online so I took a lot of pictures. Hope it helps. Note: Dim lighting and lots of shadows make it really difficult to take photos of food in Carthay Circle.

View attachment 878531

View attachment 878558

Green Garbanzo Bean Fritters - Spicey Roasted Pepper-Lemon Yogurt, Sesame, Pomegranates

Four per plate. These were really good. They were warm and crispy on the outside, moist in the middle. The yogurt sauce was tasty as well.

View attachment 878532

Carthay Greek Style Salad - Garbanzo-Feta Hummus, Heirloom Tomatoes, Aged Sherry Vinegar

This surprised us because the menu didn't really describe it. The hummus was on the bottom. The salad was heirloom tomatoes with Greek olives and cucumber. It was topped with feta. Very fresh. Very good tasting.

View attachment 878533

View attachment 878535

Soy and Ginger Glazed Tri Tip - Spicy Soba Noodles, Mint, Macadamia Nut Furikake

I'm not sure who is in charge of menus for this restaurant. Typo at the top and the descriptions aren't well written. For this dish, there was a sweet & spicy sauce on the plate. The noodles were rather bland. They had some mint, but also had citrus and lots of mushrooms which (were not listed on the menu).

View attachment 878536
View attachment 878539

The beef was very good, but not as good as the steak they serve at dinner. They didn't ask how we wanted it prepared and it was a little rare for my taste.

The cold noodles didn't complement the warm beef by temperature, texture or taste.

View attachment 878541

Rigatoni Pasta Carbonara - Prosciutto, Corn, English Peas, Wild Mushrooms, Grana Padano

All of us enjoyed this dish. The pasta was well prepared. The peas, corn and mushrooms complemented the sauce well.

View attachment 878569

View attachment 878570

The pasta looks SO good! I think you're right that it would be nice if they included a dessert and drink, though.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Trader Sam's Pupu Platter - $26
Pork Gyoza, Shrimp Tempura, Tempura-battered Green Beans and Togarashi Chicken Wings, served with Togarashi Aïoli

The wings were our favorite thing on this platter. Nicely spiced and crispy. Didn't really think the aioli went very well with them, but they were fine on their own. The green beans were good, although we preferred the Chinese long beans they used to have over the plain green beans. We liked the gyoza and the sauce. The shrimp tempura were pretty good. Not up to the standard we get at our local Japanese restaurant, but not bad.



Trader Sam's Island Chopped Salad - $31
with choice of Teriyaki Chicken or Pan-seared Salmon*, Crisp Romaine Spears, Pineapple-glazed Smoked Ham, Green Papaya Slaw, Mandarin Orange-Dragon Fruit Compote, Cotija Cheese, Edamame, Passion-Orange-Guava Aïoli and Crisp Fried Shallots, served with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette*

I sent this back. I was expecting something more exotic from the description and the price. This was basically some rolled up romaine drenched in an overly sweet dressing. "Mandarin Orange-Dragon Fruit Compote"? Not really. Maybe a couple of shallots, and whatever cotija cheese there may have been was lost under all the dressing. The "pineapple-glazed smoked ham" pretty much tasted like basic cubed lunchmeat. The chicken was fine. I have no idea why they called this a "chopped salad."



Trader Sam's Dole Whip - Comped
They comped us this Dole Whip due to the salad, which was a nice touch.



Trader Sam's Skipper Sipper - $7
Tropical Juices, Agave Nectar, Falernum, Mint and fresh Lime Juice topped with Soda Water

Non-alcoholic beverage for my daughter. Obviously meant to be like a mojito, but both she and I thought it was overly sweet.



Trader Sam's Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum
Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Cream of Coconut, and Juices of Pineapple and Orange dusted with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

This was yummy, similar to a pina colada with cinnamon and nutmeg. This one doesn't come with special effects




Trader Sam's Krakatoa Punch - $18
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Orgeat (Almond) Syrup, Sam's Gorilla Grog, and Hibiscus Grenadine

I asked for a drink that would make it rain. There were two, so I asked for the one that was less sweet. Server recommended this one, which I thought was very good and not too sweet. This comes with the option of a souvenir cup, which I didn't take, but it did come with a glow cube.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Oga's Cantina Coruscant Cooler - $18
Maker's Mark Bourbon, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Cranberry Juice, Lime Juice

My husband originally asked for an Old Fashioned, but was told they only serve the drinks on the menu because everything is premixed. He asked for something that wasn't too sweet and this was recommended. It was very good.

 

[maleficent55]

Oga's Cantina Coruscant Cooler - $18
Maker's Mark Bourbon, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Cranberry Juice, Lime Juice

My husband originally asked for an Old Fashioned, but was told they only serve the drinks on the menu because everything is premixed. He asked for something that wasn't too sweet and this was recommended. It was very good.

View attachment 880514

I liked that one

 

[LKing]

Hearthstone Lounge expanded their menu. We used to eat there a lot. I really liked the cobb salad and my spouse liked the burger. More recently (past 6 mos), the quality became super inconsistent. Below are two images of the cobb salad taken on different days.

Cobb Salad - Leaf Lettuce, Arugula, Chicken, Cider-glazed Bacon, Point Reyes Blue Cheese, Avocado, Cherry Tomatoes, Radishes, Soft-boiled Egg, Artichoke, Red Onions, creamy Apple Vinaigrette

vs

 

[LKing]

Hearthstone Lounge

Short Rib Lasagna - with Spinach Pasta, Braised Short Ribs, Bechamel, Trio of Cheeses, and Tomato Ragu

This was very rich with a large amount of braised short rib layered in between the noodles.



Flaky Buttermilk-Battered Chicken Sandwich - Pasture-raised Chicken, Soft-fried Egg, Cucumber & Radicchio Slaw, Habanero Honey, Buttered Brioche Bun, Steak Fries

This sandwich has gone through so many permutations over the past couple of years. This one was better than some of the previous versions. I wouldn't call it flaky but, other than that, it was as described. It is definitely a fork and knife sandwich. On a side note, I'm glad they got rid of the steak fries, but wish they would bring back the sweet potato fries.

 

[joseph821]

My spouse has been wanting to try the new lunch at Carthay Circle Restaurant. We had some friends in town so decided to give it a try today.

The lunch is $59 prix fixe (or pre-fixe as the typo on the menu states). It includes an appetizer and an entree. Drinks are extra. Bread is extra. We were not offered dessert, so I'm not sure if they have it for lunch.

I had a difficult time finding reviews or photos online so I took a lot of pictures. Hope it helps. Note: Dim lighting and lots of shadows make it really difficult to take photos of food in Carthay Circle.

View attachment 878531

View attachment 878558

Green Garbanzo Bean Fritters - Spicey Roasted Pepper-Lemon Yogurt, Sesame, Pomegranates

Four per plate. These were really good. They were warm and crispy on the outside, moist in the middle. The yogurt sauce was tasty as well.

View attachment 878532

Carthay Greek Style Salad - Garbanzo-Feta Hummus, Heirloom Tomatoes, Aged Sherry Vinegar

This surprised us because the menu didn't really describe it. The hummus was on the bottom. The salad was heirloom tomatoes with Greek olives and cucumber. It was topped with feta. Very fresh. Very good tasting.

View attachment 878533

View attachment 878535

Soy and Ginger Glazed Tri Tip - Spicy Soba Noodles, Mint, Macadamia Nut Furikake

I'm not sure who is in charge of menus for this restaurant. Typo at the top and the descriptions aren't well written. For this dish, there was a sweet & spicy sauce on the plate. The noodles were rather bland. They had some mint, but also had citrus and lots of mushrooms (which were not listed on the menu).

View attachment 878536
View attachment 878539

The beef was very good, but not as good as the steak they serve at dinner. They didn't ask how we wanted it prepared and it was a little rare for my taste.

The cold noodles didn't complement the warm beef by temperature, texture or taste.

View attachment 878541

Rigatoni Pasta Carbonara - Prosciutto, Corn, English Peas, Wild Mushrooms, Grana Padano

All of us enjoyed this dish. The pasta was well prepared. The peas, corn and mushrooms complemented the sauce well.

View attachment 878569

View attachment 878570

Thank you for the review. The food looks great. I am going in a few weeks. I think I tend to agree the price is a little much for no drink and small dessert included.

 

[joseph821]

Hearthstone Lounge

Short Rib Lasagna - with Spinach Pasta, Braised Short Ribs, Bechamel, Trio of Cheeses, and Tomato Ragu

This was very rich with a large amount of braised short rib layered in between the noodles.

View attachment 880620

Flaky Buttermilk-Battered Chicken Sandwich - Pasture-raised Chicken, Soft-fried Egg, Cucumber & Radicchio Slaw, Habanero Honey, Buttered Brioche Bun, Steak Fries

This sandwich has gone through so many permutations over the past couple of years. This one was better than some of the previous versions. I wouldn't call it flaky but, other than that, it was as described. It is definitely a fork and knife sandwich. On a side note, I'm glad they got rid of the steak fries, but wish they would bring back the sweet potato fries.

View attachment 880621

Wow! Looks great. I recently added the Hearthstone to my reservation and I was curious on both these menu items. Thanks.

 

[LKing]

Wow! Looks great. I recently added the Hearthstone to my reservation and I was curious on both these menu items. Thanks.

We really like the vibe of Hearthstone Lounge. It is relaxing, air conditioned, and service is (usually) great.

I saw someone eating salmon, but didn't see it on the menu. I wonder if they ran out of the sea bass. In passing, I also saw a steak that looked HUGE. I think it was the prime rib, but can't say for sure.

On the back of the Hearthstone Lounge menu, they had this card promoting breakfast at Craftsman Bar & Grill. I don't remember if they were open for breakfast before, but this looks like an expanded menu as well.

 

[joseph821]

We really like the vibe of Hearthstone Lounge. It is relaxing, air conditioned, and service is (usually) great.

I saw someone eating salmon, but didn't see it on the menu. I wonder if they ran out of the sea bass. In passing, I also saw a steak that looked HUGE. I think it was the prime rib, but can't say for sure.

On the back of the Hearthstone Lounge menu, they had this card promoting breakfast at Craftsman Bar & Grill. I don't remember if they were open for breakfast before, but this looks like an expanded menu as well.

View attachment 880626 View attachment 880627

I cannot wait to try the Lounge. Lounge's menu looks great. Craftsman Grill always served breakfast. I think you are correct the Bar & Grill just added breakfast to its menu.

 

[LKing]

Pym's Test Kitchen

Chimichanga - Seasoned Beef, Charred Poblano, Refried Beans and Shredded Cheese, on a pool of Guajillo Sauce with a Pico de Gallo Side Salad

Large portion, filled with generic taco seasoned ground beef. Very clever presentation. Filling, but I thought the taste was just okay. Others in my party gobbled it up.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Here's a few items that I took pictures of. First up was Craftsman Bar and Grill. Later, I went to Palm Breeze bar. I reserved both through the App a few minutes before I wanted to dine. When I joined the walk up list, the app said it was a 15 minute wait, but it was actually 5 minutes. Both times, I was seated at the counter/bar, as the available tables were in the full sun on a very hot day.

Avocado Pazanella
It's a salad with tons of olives and cherry tomatoes. It also has spring mix, avocado and croutons. It was shocking how many olives and tomatoes were in it. It is good, but I am left wondering if anyone would ever eat that many olives and tomatoes.

Watermelon -Cucumber Collins
I told my server that I like fruity drinks that aren't too sweet and this is what he recommended. It was perfect. It's very refreshing and is not overpowered by anything. 10/10 would get again.

Palm Breeze Beignets
This was a fun dessert. It has 3 flavors of beignets, all have a small amount of filling. It comes with 3 dipping sauces, chocolate, caramel and raspberry. The dipping sauces are in edible cookies. It's a lot for one person, but would be fun to share.

 

[crystal1313]

We ate at the lounge at the DLH (previously the steakhouse 55 lounge). We loved it so much we ate there twice on our trip! Lol. The first time we dined we got the steak frites. Delicious. Cooked perfectly. Excellent service. Our server told us they are closed Monday and Tuesday nights. We asked why the lounge isn’t on the app and she mentioned they are going to try to re-brand it. Both times we went it was dead. It’s a perfect quiet spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. She also mentioned that the steakhouse 55 restaurant is now used for storage

The next time we tried it was Wednesday night. We got the burger. Was the best burger we have had in a really long time. (Sorry the photo is dark…it’s really dark in the lounge. Lol).

 

[BunnieGene]

We ate at the lounge at the DLH (previously the steakhouse 55 lounge). We loved it so much we ate there twice on our trip! Lol. The first time we dined we got the steak frites. Delicious. Cooked perfectly. Excellent service. Our server told us they are closed Monday and Tuesday nights. We asked why the lounge isn’t on the app and she mentioned they are going to try to re-brand it. Both times we went it was dead. It’s a perfect quiet spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. She also mentioned that the steakhouse 55 restaurant is now used for storage

The next time we tried it was Wednesday night. We got the burger. Was the best burger we have had in a really long time. (Sorry the photo is dark…it’s really dark in the lounge. Lol).

Sniff sniff… We loved Steakhouse 55 and are so sad it is no more

 

[AndrewC]

We ate at the lounge at the DLH (previously the steakhouse 55 lounge). We loved it so much we ate there twice on our trip! Lol. The first time we dined we got the steak frites. Delicious. Cooked perfectly. Excellent service. Our server told us they are closed Monday and Tuesday nights. We asked why the lounge isn’t on the app and she mentioned they are going to try to re-brand it. Both times we went it was dead. It’s a perfect quiet spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. She also mentioned that the steakhouse 55 restaurant is now used for storage

The next time we tried it was Wednesday night. We got the burger. Was the best burger we have had in a really long time. (Sorry the photo is dark…it’s really dark in the lounge. Lol).

They took my tea away and made it storage! I actually would arrange my flights around being able to do the tea on my arrival day… which usually meant getting up at 4am or so…

 

[crystal1313]

Sniff sniff… We loved Steakhouse 55 and are so sad it is no more

We are totally sad too. That’s why we asked about it. We miss SH55 so much!!!

While we love the fact the lounge is open, we really wish they would open SH55 again too